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Planet Classes
Planets in the galaxy are classified according to three different categories. Their type is the planet's generic category. If it's a gas giant, rocky world, terrestrial world, or moon. Their classification is a summary of the planet's climate, terrain, hydrosphere, atmosphere, etc. This details whether the planet is an ocean world, desert world, or jungle world. Note however that ocean worlds can have deserts, and vice versa, and so on. Planets are never just one thing. Their designation is the planet's role within its governing body, if there is one. It answers the question of "Is the planet a mining world, urban world, military base, research facility, or dedicated to one industry or another?" Thus, a planet can be a Terrestrial World, an Ocean World, and an Urban World. Such a planet would be similar to Earth. A planet could also be a Terrestrial World, a Desert World, and a Mining World. Such a planet would be similar to Mercuria. And so on. All civilizations use more or less the same or equivalent categorization system, simply because it is, so far, the only practical way to organize hundreds of planets light years away. Types Terrestrial World A terrestrial world is one hospitable to sapient life. Essentially, it does not need to or did not need to undergo an expensive terraforming process in order to be colonized. They have atmospheres (though these atmosphers can vary wildly in composition), fresh water, and are sizable in mass and plentiful with natural resources. Rock World A typical rocky planet without an atmosphere and lacking in much feature on its surface. Rocky worlds are typically very hot or very cold, and consist almost entirely of iron, nickel, and silicon. Typically, these planets are not worth terraforming or colonizing, but many are utilized for their vast mining potential, with temporary or semi-permanent establishments which mega-strip the planet of its valuables. Borehole pressure mining techniques may be utilized, enabling miners to reach into the molten iron core and pilfer exotic iron products. Ice World Ice worlds consist largely of ice - whether its water ice or carbon ice or something else. Ice worlds are typically small planets which orbit distantly from their stars. Ice worlds can be very unique, and can yield important minerals for mining. It is, however, much more expensive to mine ice worlds, due to the difficulty of drilling through thick layers of ice, and the danger involved. Gas Giant Gas Giants differ from ordinary planets in that they do not have a solid surface, and they cannot be landed on. A gas giant is a very dangerous place to be - but a very rewarding one. It is in the dense clouds of gas giants where useful gases are "mined", such as critical components in starship fuel or other gases which permit advanced technology to persist. Moons around the gas giant may provide excellent bases for these mines, and may be contested or fought over. Classifications Desert World A desert world is rather self-explanatory. Desert worlds have water, atmospheres, and can sustain life, but they tend to be drier than other similar worlds. Desert worlds are not necessarily hot, they simply have little seasonal precipitation. Water may exist as rivers or oases which carve through and dot the landscape, bringing life with it. Jungle World Jungle worlds are the opposite of desert worlds, with a high humidity rate in the atmosphere. The environment is generally wet and warm, and such conditions allow for immense biodiversity. Such worlds also tend to have higher percentages of oxygen in the atmosphere, allowing for very different circumstances for life to exist. Jungle worlds do not necessarily have jungles - they are simply very warm and wet. Ocean World An ocean world is a world which has a surface mostly covered in seas and oceans. Typically, this classification is given to planets with 60% water surfaces or greater, with the most extreme planets being in the mid-to-high 90 percentages. Ocean worlds tend to be friendly towards life, as oceans provide warmth and shelter. Most of the time, if an advanced civilization appears on an ocean world, it will be an land-dwelling species, due to the difficulty of recording information and manipulating ocean environments. Arid World Arid worlds differ from desert worlds, in that they lack any water at all, still have a familiarly desert appearance. Arid worlds tend to be devoid of much life at all, and are generally useless. If water can be imported or created, arid worlds may become desert worlds. Poison World Poison Worlds are inhospitable to most if not all life. Toxic or corrosive atmospheres or other such things contribute to a hostile environment. Some extremophile lifeforms may make their homes here, however. Volcanic World Rather self-explanatory - volcanic worlds are hot and hostile planets dominated by volcanic activity which constantly changes their surfaces. Such worlds may be in the process of forming, in which case they are also called Cthonic or Primordial. Designations Homeworld The homeworld is the birthplace of a civilization, and its wealthiest, most populous, and most powerful planet within its domain. Homeworlds are extremely influential and able to project power lightyears away. Even core colonies would struggle to rival the power and influence of a homeworld. Whilst a prosperous colony may be home to hundreds of millions of inhabitants, a homeworld can count several billion or tens of billions of beings. Homeworlds have vast histories, told in the remnants of old civilizations, old wars, and old ideas. Homeworlds are the center of a civilization, its culture, its economy, and its military, and they will always be planets able to sustain this kind of power. Core Colony A core colony is a colony that is, basically, doing well. Core Colonies can act as second "homeworlds", with their own ability to project power. Core colonies are very populated and very wealthy, and are valuable planets necessary for the maintenance of a large empire. Colony A planet designated as a colony is just that, a colony - a permanent settlement having been made on a planet. These colonies tend to be very small in relation to core colonies and homeworlds, in some cases being less than a million inhabitants. Military Base A military base is a semi-permanent establishment on a planet, with its inhabitants being cycled back and forth between different groups of soldiers deploying. A military base serves to project military influence into a contested area, to protect a frontier system or cluster of systems from attack, or to exert power over a rebellious system. Military bases are essentially distant garrisons, with a small arsenal of a various assortment of weapons, and a cyclical stationing of a formation of soldiers, the size of which varying with the ability of the military base to provide for them. A military base often has some creature comforts as well, with cinema and music available, as well as drinks if it suits the culture. Research Facility A research facility is a facility set up by a government or an organization, the goal of which is to research the unique characteristics of a planet - its geology, biology, etc. - for the benefit of science and in the pursuit of knowledge. The sheer variety of planets and conditions mean that almost every planet warrants study - no two planets are ever the same. A research facility can often instigate a colony being set up if valuable resources are found, or a military base if a colony is not possible. Mining Station A mining station is a station which coordinates a mining operation on the planet, with thousands of miners. A station would consist of residence for these miners and storage for their high-tech (and low-tech) equipment, as well as a small detachment of soldiers for their protection and order, and other individuals who provide entertainment and recreation for the miners, such as actors or musicians. Mining stations can be set up in asteroid fields as well, but its almost always cheaper and safer to establish them on a planet if a suitable one is found. Defense Station A defense station differs from a military base in that it tends to be a very small building - perhaps only a battery of missile launchers or an assortment of laser cannons, rather than a base able to provide for a garrison of soldiers, their equipment, and ships and so on. Trading Post A trading post exists in a system to allow for easier trade between two cultures or two systems, allowing them to meet halfway. This speeds up the trading process across lightyears. Typically an orbital station or a complex of buildings on the surface, maybe a few hundred to a thousand individuals work to maintain the post. A trading post is, of course, always with a complement of Merchant Astra, as well as some escort ships. See Also *Moon Classes